Morgan Fuels Down Senior Football Championship: St Bronagh’s, Rostrevor 0-15 Clonduff Shamrocks 1-11
ROSTREVOR got one over on fierce rivals Clonduff and booked their place in the quarter-final of the Morgan Fuels Down Senior Club Championship - along with Burren, Mayobridge and CPN - in an entertaining contest played in St Mary’s Park, Burren.
The match was rearranged after last Friday’s game was abandoned due to a serious head injury to Clonduff’s Darren Óg O’Hagan, who sat out Monday night’s game. It was a thrilling encounter and the free admission, along with the bright August evening, ensured there was a bumper crowd packed into St Mary’s Park.
Rostrevor’s young Conor Doyle and substitute Aidan Mackin delivered an exhibition in finishing and it was Doyle’s sixth point of the evening on 57 minutes that won the game for the Reds.
Clonduff went into the game as favourites, but they failed to reach the performance levels they showed earlier in the campaign to easily beat Frank Dawson’s Byransford. Instead, it was Rostrevor who started and finished the stronger side, although they were pushed all the way by a hungry Hilltown side.
The Reds took an early lead, with Conor Óg Grant opening the scoring with only 23 seconds gone before goalkeeper, and Warrenpoint Town shot-stopper, Jonathan Parr converted a free to double Rostrevor’s lead. Paul Lively and Barry O’Hagan levelled the scores, but Rostrevor made an inspired substitution with only 10 minutes gone as Adrian Mackin replaced Anthony Donnan and, with his first touch, he scored his first of four points, two from his right and two from his left foot.
Doyle and Mackin extended Rostrevor’s lead with a brace of points inside a minute and Shaun Parr’s fine score helped the Reds to a 0-6 to 0-2 lead before Barry O’Hagan stopped the rot with his second point. Clonduff failed to get a handle on the game and they were glad to hear the half-time whistle, but not before John Fegan and Doyle punished sloppy play with points to stretch Rostrevor’s lead at the break to five points.
It took only 20 seconds of the second half for Arthur McConville to announce his presence on the pitch with a fine point from wide out on the right. Rostrevor’s Doyle and Mackin found the target, but Barry O’Hagan grabbed his third point to keep his side in touch.
Each time Clonduff seemed to close the gap, the hard working Rostrevor found an answer. Aidan Carr’s long delivery into McConville helped set up a goal as he gave a short pass to Jason Brown who squared to substitute Ryan Brannigan and from the back post he palmed into the net.
Rostrevor kept their noses in front but Clonduff pressed high up the pitch and struck five points in-a-row, with Stephen and Arthur McConville scoring and Brown’s converted free levelling the score only eight minutes from time. Conor Magee edged the Reds ahead before big Arthur McConville’s score had the sides locked once more but with three minutes to go the lively and accurate Doyle struck a memorable winner.
Clonduff’s reward for defeat is a place in the last round of the Qualifiers where they face Stephen Poacher’s Ballyholland Harps with the winners earning a place in the Championship quarter-finals.
Elsewhere in the draw, Glenn’s participation seems to be at an end as they got paired with defending Down champions Kilcoo, while both Longstone and Castlewellan will fancy their chances when they face each other.
Bryansford will be confident of finding a way past Liatroim in the last remaining round of the Senior Championship Qualifiers, which is due to be played over the September 4 weekend.
MATCH STATS
Rostrevor scorers: C Doyle (0-6), A Mackin (0-4), C Magee (0-1), S Parr (0-1), J Fegan (0-1, f), C O’Grady (0-1), J Parr (0-1,f).
Clonduff scorers: A McConville (0-4, 1f), B O’Hagan (0-3, 1f), Ryan Brannigan (1-0), S McConville (0-3), P Lively (0-1)
